The Horseshoe Lake Development Real Estate And Homes For Sale In Whitmore Lake, MI

Horseshoe Lake is located in Deerfield Twp in the Whitmore Lake Schools district. It is an All-Sport Lake, 85 Acres, about 30 ft deep, and is known for good fishing and swimming. The homes surrounding the lake are divided into four subdivisions: Schrums to the north, Shady Beach to the west, Leocadia on the southern side, and Lincoln on the east. Horseshoe Lake is located at US-23 and 6 Mile Road with shopping, dining, and entertainment are close by. The lake is only 15 minutes to Ann Arbor and Brighton, and about 50 minutes to Detroit.

I read an excerpt from the book Northfield Harvest, a Pictorial History of Northfield Twp and the Whitmore Lake areas. It tells a fascinating history of Horseshoe Lake, specifically its rises and falls through history. It was edited by Wystan Stevens who spoke about how early settlers were from Irish decent in the early 1800s, even before Michigan became a state. The land was mostly treed at that time. They logged the wood for money and built farms to support their families. Many of the farms you see today in the area have been around for over a century. The book also talks about the influx of 50,000 people from Kentucky and other southern states during WWII when the Willow Run Ford plant opened to build B-24 bombers. This includes the Abner family. My husband's grandmother, Marie Abner, brought her sons from Kentucky to Michigan to work at FORDS (as she called the Ford Motor Company). She worked for Ford for years until she retired. On and off through history, Horseshoe Lake was predominantly cottages and seasonal living. However, in the 1970s the Whitmore and Horseshoe lakes became valuable lake living and real estate prices have been on the rise since then with the change from seasonal cottages to full-time residency. Today in 2020, lakefront home values range from $300,000 to $450,000, whereas the smaller homes with water access typically sell between $150,000 and $225,000.

Two things to look out for when purchasing in the area. The first is Flood Zones. The lake and some surrounding areas are zoned AE which requires flood insurance and floodplain management. Check FEMA flood maps at www.FEMA.gov for verification. Much of the Lincoln neighborhood on the east side of the lake falls into this category. The second item to make note of is that the Association owns several parcels of land for community access. Some of those areas are in front of homes that may appear to be lakefront. However, they are actually lake access with the community space in front of their home. This is common, particularly in the Leocadia neighborhood.

I found it fascinating Wystan Stevens references the Horseshoe Lake Association all the way back to 1929. The association is dedicated to improving the area even today. In 2019/2020 the Horseshoe Lake Corp is making improvements to the many parks and beaches as well as a woodchip walking path around much of the lake. You are sure to enjoy the sandy beach located at Shady Beach and Beachway Roads or the park off Lakeshore at S. Horseshoe. There is even a boat ramp to launch your motorized boats/jet skis at 6 Mile and Lakeshore. These are private to Horseshoe Lake Corp members only. The dues are surprisingly low and there is a $10 key charge for the boat ramp. Information can be found on their website below.